Lionel Messi has said that the Sunday final match of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be his last match for his country. There has been a lot of buzz around the Argentine football legend's retirement much before the tournament started last month. Earlier, Messi had said before the tournament that this would probably his last World Cup.
After the spectacular win over Croatia early on December 14, the Argentina captain told reporters that the final match on December 18 will be his last. This is Messi’s fifth World Cup, one more than legends Diego Maradona and Javier Mascherano.
"I feel very happy to be able to achieve this, to finish my World Cup journey by playing my last game in a final," the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner told Argentine media outlet Diario Deportivo Ole.
"It's many years for the next one and I don't think I'll be able to do it. And to finish like this, it's the best," the 35-year-old said.
In the December 14 clash against Croatia, the PSG forward scored on a penalty and played equally important in the other two goals scored by Julian Alvarez, pushing his country into the final. Argentina will now face France or Morocco, who will play the second semi-final match today at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Messi’s unmatched records
Messi entered this World Cup hoping to land six individual records but has been breaking much more of them than expected. With the fifth goal in the match against Croatia on December 14, Messi’s total goals now stand at 11 across his five World Cups.
Also, he equalled Lothar Matthaus' record for the most World Cup appearances with his 25th start in the semi-final match against Croatia. Now the final match will be his 26th appearance.
The PSG superstar has now both scored and assisted a goal in four different World Cup games, including three at Qatar 2022 tournament against the Netherlands and Mexico, and also in a 6-0 group-stage win over Serbia and Montenegro back in 2006.
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